South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has formally thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for his role in helping to secure the release of 17 South African citizens who were allegedly misled into taking part in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The South African government revealed in November that it had received distress messages from the men, who had travelled to Russia after being promised bodyguard training, only to find themselves deployed to active combat zones in Ukraine.
According to the presidency, four of the men returned to South Africa last Friday. Eleven more are expected to arrive in the country soon, while two others will follow at a later date. Officials said investigations into how the group was recruited were still under way.
Mercenary Activity Illegal Under South African Law
South African law prohibits citizens from serving as mercenaries or fighting for foreign governments unless explicit authorisation has been granted by the state.
Family members of the men told the BBC that upon arriving in Russia, the group was presented with contracts written in Russian. They said the men signed the documents without understanding that the agreements committed them to fighting Ukrainian forces as mercenaries.
Presidency Confirms Diplomatic Engagement
President Ramaphosa’s office confirmed that diplomatic efforts involving direct engagement with Russian authorities led to the group’s release.
Speaking on Tuesday, presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said that while most of the men were expected home soon, two remained in Russia.
“Two remain in Russia with one in a hospital in Moscow, while the other one is being processed before finalising his travel arrangements,” Magwenya said.
Ramaphosa discussed the issue directly with Putin during a phone call on 10 February, he added.
“President Ramaphosa has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to President Vladimir Putin who responded positively to his call to support the process of returning the men home,” Magwenya said.
South Africa’s embassy in Moscow will continue monitoring the citizen still receiving medical treatment until he is able to travel, the presidency confirmed.
Allegations Surrounding Recruitment
The recruitment scheme has drawn political controversy at home. Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former president Jacob Zuma, has been named as the alleged recruiter in the case—an accusation she strongly denies.
Zuma-Sambudla, who resigned from parliament in late November amid the scandal, said in a sworn affidavit that she believed the men—including some of her own relatives—were travelling to Russia for lawful training purposes.
“I would not, under any circumstances, knowingly expose my own family or any other person to harm,” she said.
She submitted the affidavit to police after her half-sister, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, accused her of deceiving South Africans into joining the war and filed a criminal complaint against her in November.
Parallel Criminal Case
In a separate but related investigation, South African police arrested five individuals in December on charges linked to the alleged recruitment of citizens for the Russian military. Among those detained was a radio presenter employed by South Africa’s public broadcaster.
All five suspects were later released on bail, and the case has yet to come before the courts.
